Dr Itumeleng Moroenyane

Dr. Itumeleng Moroenyane is a plant holobiont scientist and Principal Investigator of the Plant Holobiont Lab at Stellenbosch University. His research is organised around three interconnected pillars: plant microbiome assembly and evolution, holobiont responses to abiotic stress, and the application of holobiont science to sustainable agriculture. His work investigates the ecological and evolutionary processes shaping plant-associated microbial communities, with particular emphasis on microbiome assembly, niche stability, and evolutionary contingency. In parallel, he examines how plant–microbiome interactions regulate responses to drought and heat stress, integrating evolutionary theory with plant physiology and microbiome ecology. Collectively, his research advances a mechanistic and critical perspective on the hologenome theory of evolution, while generating insights that inform microbiome-based strategies for crop resilience in a changing climate.